Farnan confirms superiority in Golden Slipper win
Aquis’ high-stakes gamble pays off with Not A Single Doubt colt’s ultimate Group 1 victory
Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) became arguably the most valuable stallion prospect in Australia yesterday, after the star colt continued his almost faultless career by taking out the $3.5 million Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) at Rosehill and vindicating the enormous investment in the industry made by Aquis Farm.
Shane McGrath described the victory as a “dream come true” for Aquis Farm founder Tony Fung and his family after setting up a significant three-state breeding operation and massive racing division in recent years.
“Twelve months ago we were aggressive in the market and we went and sourced these colts and it has paid off,” Aquis Farm managing director McGrath told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“I have been in Australia for 25 years and the whole thing in Australia is about winning a Slipper and it was a surreal moment today not being at Rosehill. I was with my wife and children and I was also with Peter O’Brien who has been a massive supporter of mine since I got here (from Ireland). I can’t believe it.
“I rang Tony Fung and said, ‘Boss, no matter what’s going on in the world, you’ve just won the Golden Slipper and nobody can take that away from you’. I also spoke to Justin (Fung) in America and he was in tears because he’s been such a big part of the journey as well.”
The seventh Golden Slipper winner for Gai Waterhouse and first for her training partner Adrian Bott, Farnan produced an authoritative onspeed performance, holding off the challenge of runner-up, the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) winner Away Game (Snitzel), by one and three-quarter lengths.
Debut Skyline Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) winner Mamaragan (Wandjina) was another length back in third, while Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa) finished fourth.
“What a thrill, I’m very honoured and very humble to do it alongside a legend,” Bott said.
“For her to have six Golden Slippers, and now seven, and to do it with her, and with a colt with such quality, it’s really special for all involved. She makes it easy because she just expects you to win.
“She’s as confident as ever. Maybe I worry a little bit more, but she’s always been confident and it is comforting to have that person alongside you who has been there and done it before so many times. Even down to the tactics, being dominant from that draw, was never a worry.
“He showed that tactical speed that he has always had and was able to control the race.”
Farnan’s jockey Hugh Bowman was elated after the race, even throwing his goggles to “the crowd” which consisted of just trainers and stable staff due to the lockout imposed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
“I’d just like to congratulate Gai and Adrian and their team for the preparation to develop this horse to behave and race the way he did this afternoon was second to none,” Bowman said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to ride some really good horses over my career as everyone knows but I haven’t ridden a better two-year-old.
“Just his mannerisms and his professionalism that is one thing but his ability is another.
“Sydney has been my home since I started riding and this is the signature race for me growing up and to win it – I’m just lost for words and so proud and thankful to connections to instil the trust in me to do the job.”
Farnan is the first colt to win the Slipper since 2016 when the James Harron Bloodstock syndicate-owned Capitalist (Written Tycoon) won the race for Peter and Paul Snowden.
Farnan won his first start at Canberra in November and then took out the Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1100m) in December before his Gold Coast campaign was almost derailed after being found to be mildly lame in the off foreleg in the days leading up to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
He ran tenth in the January race but returned from a freshen up with victories in the Silver Slipper Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) and the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) two weeks later, before his crowning performance at Rosehill yesterday.
McGrath indicated that Farnan, who Aquis own in partnership with fellow international investor Phoenix Thoroughbreds, could now be spelled with a view to targeting the spring Group 1 races.
“He’s the champion two-year-old, he is by a top sire and he is the horse that farms like us dream of,” he said.
“When you go to the yearling market to source these colts, what are you trying to do? You are trying to buy a colt to win the Golden Slipper with a pedigree.”
Farnan was one of four Aquis Farm-owned horses in the race, with $1.6 million colt Prague (Redoute’s Choice) running sixth, while Rathlin (Fastnet Rock) finished second–last at triple figure odds. Tony Fung’s wife Loretta also shares in the ownership of Away Game.
“It’s phenomenal that we’ve ended up running the quiniela with Mrs Fung’s and Hannah Mathiesen’s filly Away Game,” McGrath continued.
“I thought she was absolutely outstanding and, to be honest, half way down the straight I was thinking, ‘please stop kicking’ but Hughie said when the filly got to him the colt filled his lungs and went again. He’s an awesome colt – he is a really awesome colt.”
McGrath believes Aquis’ pre-training facility at Canungra on the Gold Coast, overseen by Kacy Fogden, had been pivotal in the development of this season’s juveniles owned by the Fungs.
“The reality is, every good colt that we’ve had, the Breeders’ Plate, the Golden Slipper, the Pago Pago, they’ve all had one common denominator and that is that they’ve all come through our Canungra pre-training system,” he said.
“At the end of the day, to Tony Fung and his family they gave us the money to invest and it’s nice that it’s paid off and I’m privileged to be a part of it.”
Farnan (2 c Not A Single Doubt – Tallow by Street Cy), who was bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, was a $550,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase by Aquis Farm from the Vinery Stud draft. Phoenix Thoroughbreds retained a share in the colt who has won four of his five starts and $2,502,200 in prize-money though his stud value is likely to be at least ten times that.
Farnan is a half-brother to Listed winner and Group 1-performed Sandbar (Snitzel) while Tallow failed to get in foal in 2017 and 2018 and was covered by The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) last October.
Group 3 winner Tallow was purchased by Queensland agent David Lucas on behalf of Phoenix Thoroughbreds at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale with Farnan in utero.
“Farnan was one of our highest-rated yearlings at the Magic Millions and we went and bought him. We do a lot of partnerships with Phoenix. We were buying a lot of good colts together, so we said, ‘why don’t we race this horse together?’,” McGrath said.
“They had a great result last night (with Loving Gaby in the Manikato Stakes) and now they’ve bred a Slipper winner.”
Earlier this year, Arrowfield Stud announced that Not A Single Doubt had been pensioned after suffering pulmonary disease which would prevent him from covering mares again. He has 56 live foals born last year and he covered 94 in 2019.
Pfeiffer gets Excited after Snitzel mare’s Galaxy breakthrough
David Pfieffer’s belief that I Am Excited (Snitzel) could hand the Sydney trainer his maiden Group 1 victory never wavered and that confidence came to fruition when the prized mare made a late dive to take out The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m).
Mares dominated the $700,000 open age sprint feature, with I Am Excited ($26) prevailing by a nose over Victorian mare Miss Leonidas (I Am Invincible) ($31) and Tofane (Ocean Park) ($16) a head away third in the photo finish.
Despite the elation of preparing his first Group 1 winner after 12 years in operation, Pfeiffer said the on-track atmosphere was like “being at the barrier trials” because of the crowd lockout.
“It was a great win, I didn’t know whether to go the early crow or not because it was quite tight at the finish,” Pfieffer said.
“I was confident that the horse was going probably the best of her career. I suppose coming up the inside was probably not the right part of the track but she toughed it right out.”
I Am Excited was sent to Melbourne for her first-up run this preparation, finishing fifth in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (Gr 1, 1000m) in February before returning to Sydney and using the Wenona Girl (Gr 3, 1200m) as her lead-in to The Galaxy.
The Group 1 milestone was not lost on Pfieffer who trains from Warwick Farm.
He was also delighted that the Group 1 victory was achieved with strong supporters of his stable, the Ferguson family’s Bell River Thoroughbreds and their partners who bred I Am Excited.
“It’s my first Group 1 and hopefully it’s not my last,” the trainer said.
“I’ve been training 12 years so it’s been a while coming. I’ve had runners in Group 1s and run placings and so forth, but getting that first win is very special.”
I Am Excited was jockey Tim Clark’s third win in The Galaxy and the 15th Group 1 of his career.
“The Galaxy was my first Group 1 and this is my third now so it has been a good race to me,” Clark said.
“I’m very privileged to be able to take it out again.”
The Shaun Dwyer-trained Miss Leonidas is likely to be retired after her narrow defeat.
“I couldn’t be happier with her. I think that was her swansong, there was just one better than her on the day,” her jockey Billy Egan said.
Aquis Farm’s Shane McGrath said Pierata (Pierro), who will retire to the stud’s Hunter Valley operation later this year, had pleased him with his first-up Galaxy performance after running on for fifth.
“I thought Pierata was super. He had to carry 59 kilograms, he had a bad barrier (9) and generally barriers and weight beat horses,” he said. “I spoke to Greg (Hickman, trainer) afterwards and the last 100 metres was his best. First-up was always going to be a bit tricky and he’s got four runs this prep. Two more in the (Sydney) carnival and off today’s run he’ll be a big watch for next start (in the T J Smith).”
I Am Excited (5 m Snitzel – Lady Beckworth by General Nediym) has won seven of her 27 starts, with a further nine placings for $1,215,475 in earnings.
Bell River Thoroughbreds, who also bred Group 1 winners Ace High (High Chaparral) and Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt), sold Lady Beckworth, in foal to Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock), at the 2016 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale for $400,000 to Henry Field Bloodstock.
Lady Beckworth, who is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Shaan (Danewin) and Regard (Zabeel) who herself has produced top-class mare Atlantic Jewel (Fastnet Rock) and Group 1 winner Commanding Jewel (Commands), is the dam of three winners including Group 3 winner Flippant (Hinchinbrook).
I Am Excited’s half-brother by I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) will be offered as Lot 10 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Newgate Farm.
Castelvecchio emerges out of shadow to claim Rosehill Guineas
Castelvecchio, already assured of a place at Arrowfield Stud alongside his exciting young sire Dundeel (High Chaparral), yesterday claimed the Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) in an important reminder to breeders of the colt’s talent.
The Richard Litt-trained three-year-old, who took out the ATC Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) as a juvenile, had raced six times this season without a victory but the treasured colt had been twice runner-up at Group 1 level including in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m).
It was after that performance, when finishing second to star Japanese mare Lys Gracieux (Heart’s Cry) at Moonee Valley, that Arrowfield Stud supremo John Messara swooped on the colt the farm had sold nearly two years earlier at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
After being forced to make a long, sustained run out wide first-up in the Randwick Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) on March 7, Castelvecchio’s Cox Plate jockey Craig Williams returned to the saddle yesterday where the colt settled much closer than in previous starts to go on and register his first victory at age three.
He held off J J Atkins Plate (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Prince Fawaz (Fastnet Rock), who returned to form in the Rosehill race, to score by half a length with another two and a half lengths back to Reloaded (Snitzel) in third.
Randwick Guineas winner Shadow Hero (Pierro), who also had Castelvecchio’s measure in the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) last preparation, was fourth.
Messara was in no doubt about the credentials of Castelvecchio before the Rosehill Guineas and yesterday’s victory only reaffirmed his opinion of the colt.
“Remember, this is a colt that had a really significant two-year-old career, winning on debut, winning the Inglis Millennium over 1200 metres so brilliantly before a dominant Group 1 victory in the Champagne,’’ Messara said.
“Then he made that huge step in the spring to run second to one of the world’s very best in the Cox Plate and now he’s returned to emulate his sire Dundeel as a Rosehill Guineas winner.
“All of that marks him out as a very special colt and I believe there’s more to come.”
Trainer Litt admitted the Rosehill Guineas success with Castelvecchio was a relief.
“For me to reproduce another Group 1 winner, it’s huge for my training career and very special,” Litt said.
“There was a little bit of pressure. I always say pressure is for tyres but today we felt it and we’re lucky we’ve got a great horse.
“He showed his true colours and we’re so proud of him.”
Williams caught a chartered plane with a number of other jockeys and racing participants to Sydney after Friday night’s William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) meeting in Melbourne and the jockey was glad he did.
“The horse came well into the yard and the owners paid a bit thinking he was the sire of the future like his father was. He’s definitely doing that now,” he said.
Litt suggested that Castelvecchio was capable of contesting the Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) before backing up a week later at Randwick for the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
“We will let his connections sit down over the next week and make that decision, today he looked like he was running away from them and he’d eat up a Derby,” he said.
“But obviously we’ve got the Queen Elizabeth the week after that and there’s wonderful prize– money so we’ve got plenty of thinking to do.”
Shadow Hero’s jockey Josh Parr said the gelding got too far back and that the tempo also counted against his mount’s chances.
“We ended up four lengths further back than we would have liked in a stop-start affair. The gate was probably the difference,” Parr said.
Anthony Cummings was delighted to see Prince Fawaz return to his best but was rueing a missed opportunity.
“I thought he was home for a bit and it was a Group 1,” Cummings said.
“He took nice steps off his run last time and he’s getting back to his right form.”
Bought by Ottavio and Wendy Galletta at the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale for $150,000, the husband and wife now share ownership of Castelvecchio (3 c Dundeel – St. Therese by Dehere) with Arrowfield Stud, Japan breeder Katsumi Yoshida, Jonathan Munz’s Pinecliff Racing, Alan Jones’ Belford Productions and John Leaver’s Planette Thoroughbred Trading.
Along with an impressive race record, Castelvecchio also hails from a strong female family, being a half-brother to 2018 Spring Champion Stakes winner Maid Of Heaven (Smart Missile) and the Group 3 winner Mirrasalo (Redoute’s Choice). His dam St Therese (Dehere) was a dual Listed winner in New Zealand and was also Group 1-placed.
She died last September after foaling a filly by Panzer Division (Redoute’s Choice).
Castelvecchio has won four of his 12 starts with another four placings and has earnings of $2,930,750.
Thompson’s honest Dreamforce scores breakthrough George Ryder win
John Thompson’s patient approach with talented gelding Dreamforce (Fastnet Rock) has been rewarded after the consistent seven-year-old took out yesterday’s George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m), to record his first win at the highest level.
Three times Group 1-placed before yesterday’s breakthrough victory, the Randwick-trained seven-year-old was sent forward by jockey Nash Rawiller who eased him to the centre of the Rosehill circuit in the straight to maintain a winning break over Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m) winner The Bostonian (Jimmy Choux).
The Tony Pike-trained sprinter-miler finished a head away, with favourite Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle) running on late to be one and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Three-year-old Brandenburg (Burgundy) was another head away in fourth.
“He’s as honest as the day is long,” Thompson said.
“His record speaks for itself. He’s a real tough bugger.
“It’s tough being a leader because you’re doing the work all the time and are the one left there. That makes them vulnerable. But on his day he’s as good as any of them.”
Thompson said Dreamforce had raced a bit keenly in the Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at his previous start but with Nash Rawiller back in the saddle, the horse relaxed and was able to sustain his run.
“He just had him in a nice rhythm today and when he can do that he gives a real good kick,” Thompson said.
“Nash said to me before the race ‘if I’m travelling well I’ll get out into the better going’ and when he came out so wide I knew he was confident.”
Rawiller said: “I put the pedal to the metal well before straightening. I was sitting well out on the track but then cut the corner then continued out without knowing what happened behind me. I was hoping to throw them into disarray.
“He showed a lovely turn of foot but I really thought at the 100 metres that I was going to get beat. To his credit he lifted again and fought the other bloke off which was pretty thrilling.”
Thompson and Rawiller have formed a strong partnership since the jockey returned to Sydney after his disqualification handed down in Hong Kong.
“He’s been absolutely outstanding to me, he’s a champion and future Hall Of Famer, and he’s just an asset to my team,” the trainer said.
Racing NSW stewards opened an inquiry into Opie Bosson’s ride on Te Akau Shark after he remained wide on the gelding in the back straight. Bosson told stewards he believed the going on the fence was inferior and was also attempting to track The Bostonian in the run.
Bosson added: “The 1500 metres was probably just a little bit too sharp for him today.”
Dreamforce (7 g Fastnet Rock – Eskimo Queen by Shinko King) has won 12 of his 32 starts including five at stakes level, headed by the George Ryder. He has also been placed 11 times and has prize-money earnings of $2,188,135.
He was passed in at the 2014 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale (reserve $250,000) after being consigned by Kitchwin Hills, with his breeders, Sydney real estate agent John McGrath and friend Tony Crisafi under their Joy Luck syndicate, electing to retain the gelding to race.
“I remember heading into the 2014 Easter Sale with this fellow and Mick Malone, who was offering the horse on our behalf through Kitchwin Hills, said he didn’t think he’d bred a nicer type on the farm in all his time,’’ McGrath said of the horse who provided him with his first Group 1 winner as an owner.
“But as we got to the sale … everyone said ‘it can’t walk’.
“I was talking to Gerald Ryan at the time and he told me not to worry, that he’d had plenty of good horses in the past that weren’t good walkers so I didn’t worry, and now he’s a Group 1 winner. What a thrill.’’
Malone said: “This horse was the most magnificent Fastnet Rock you’ve ever seen but he had no action. He still doesn’t, walking in the mounting yard before that race today I could still see it.
“If anyone ever tries to tell you that a horse who doesn’t walk like a superstar means it can’t be a superstar, they are so wrong it’s not funny and this horse is the prime example of that. He’s won over $2 million now. Wow.’’
Out of the dual Group 1-winning mare Eskimo Queen, Dreamforce is a half-brother to four other winners including the late stakes-placed two-year-old Deep Chill (Wandjina).
Eskimo Queen, who was bought in foal to Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) by Boutique Bloodstock’s Andrew Dunemann and agent Paul Willetts at the 2019 Ingis The Chairman’s Sale for $400,000, has a filly born last September by the champion stallion and was covered by first season sire Trapeze Artist (Snitzel) last October.